Railway cars typically consist of a rail car that rests upon a pair of truck assemblies. The truck assemblies include a pair of side frames and wheelsets connected together via a bolster and damping system. The car rests upon the bowl portion at the center of the bolster, which acts as a point of rotation for the truck system. The car body movements are reacted through the springs and friction wedge dampers, which connect the bolster and side frames. The side frames include pedestals that each define a jaw into which a wheel assembly of a wheel set is positioned using a roller bearing adapter.
The bolsters may be formed via various casting techniques. The most common technique for producing these components is through sand casting. High production manufacturing of bolsters in this casting process leaves the products susceptible to defects making the product vulnerable to high operating stresses and fatigue cycles.
The bolster may have life cycle requirements of fifty years. However, while in use, the bolster undergoes various loading situations particularly near the bowl portion and the ends where the bolster connects to the side frame. A means to reduce porosity defects will increase the strength of the bolster in these areas may extend the life cycle of the bolster,